As a former expat who lived in Egypt for over a decade, I have to admit that it wasn't until a good while after resettling back in the UK, that it hit me as to why I was so overjoyed to come across the first Nubian (with a Nubian boy as the main character. The project being Nubian or not is another issue) animation cartoon series 'Bakkar' when I was in my teens.
More so moving away from Upper Egypt to Lower Egypt, I didn't realise, that I saw less of me being represented, but why didn't I notice?
Perhaps, I was busy just be-ing, and had not yet been sucked into the realisation of social constructs that divide communities.
We had lived near the Nubian Museum in Aswan, and I got a peek behind the scenes as my late mother at the time was tutoring someone who could give us a pass, and I did not see Nubians in top positions seeing to their own heritage. I was young, and didn't see everyone, but in hindsight. I do not recall Nubians being the majority managing the historical premises.
[Nubian Museum Aswan, Egypt. Picture source: archidatum.com]
It wasn't until years later that this moment of epiphany came to me where...I do not recall ever, there being Nubians - and there are many tribes - having their language/s taught in school. Not even as a second language or third, or an optional additional language. It only hit me, that many Nubians who would move away from the South to seek more opportunities further up in the country also meant moving away from their mother tongue, and adopting Arabic as their first & only language. Many a time out of fear of mockery and being able to better assimilate and integrate into society.
Their faces...oh my...how could this have passed me by? I never saw them being represented on national TV, and I am talking about TV series, films, news, not even ads be it on posters or on tele.
I only ever saw the mirror representation of how Afro-Americans would be represented back in the old days being fit for purpose either as a doorman, domestic servant or someone mimicking them with the oversized lips & pitch black painted faces in theatrical performances.
If you are not represented in your country what does it do to you?
Randa Abdel-Aziz is a ''Black'' Iraqi.
Years ago she was appointed as the first ''Black'' Iraqi news presenter.
The story has it that she was just out and about at a café when she was overheard by a talent scout.
"We have in Iraq at least 1.5 million African Iraqis," said Nabil Jasim, 51, the president of the Iraqi Media Network. "They need to see themselves reflected on TV." - arkansasonline.com
I have no idea as to whether she continues to newscast. If you have an update however, do feel free to fill me in on updates in the comments.
Of course they are going to portray ''Black'' presence in Arabia solely due to slavery, but I'll leave that to you and your independent research.
This was a blog post shedding further light on ''Black'' women who speak Arabic.
If you're a ''Black'' woman at the start of your Arabic learning journey, and you're looking for a safe space to learn Arabic without the microaggressions, tune into my podcast ''Black'' Woman Speaks Arabic, or reach out for a one-to-one.
